Articulated structure



July 6 1926.

H. SEiDMAN El AL ARTICULATED STRQC'ILURE Filed June 12, 1922 Patented July 6, 1926.

1,591,8fiti UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HYMAN SEIDIVIAN AND-HENRY COHAN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARTICU'LATED STRUCTURE.

Application filed June 12, 1922. Serial No. 567,811.

Our present invention relates more generally to the construction of metallic obj ects and more particularly to the formation of metallic pieces intended and adapted to be secured together to form the links of an articulated construction and more particularly of the character known in the trade as flexible bracelets. As our invention was evolved in connection with the formation of the boxes of a bracelet, it will be illustrated and described in connection with the formation of such boxes, although it is obvious that the invention is capable of links to be used for other purposes and in other connections.

The boxes of a bracelet are small and are articulated one to another generally by means of hinges and are arranged to receive a jewel or other ornament on their upper face. To provide boxes of this character, generally involves a series of operations requiring the use of a high order'of mechanical skill and which operations are made still more difficult and complicated by the unusually small size of the object to be operated upon.

Among the more important objects of my invention therefore are; the provision of an improved method for forming boxes for flexible bracelets; the provision of a method for forming the hinges ofa flexible bracelet; the provision of a new and improved box for a flexible bracelet and of a new and I improved hinge to be used thereon; and the provision generally of a new and improved articulated structure and a method of making it.

For the attainment of these objects and such other objects as may appear or may be pointed out hereinafter, we have illus 'trated an embodiment of the invention in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a flexible bracelet with part in section.

Figure 2 is a View of the bracelet looking upwardly from below.

Figure 3 is a transverse section through the hinge between the two boxes.

Figure 4; is a section through the box taken longitudinally thereof.

Figure 5 is a view of the blank from which a side wall of the box is formed.

Figure 6 is a side view of the blank doubled up to form the side wall, and

Figure 7 is an end view of the folded blank of Fi ure 6 showing in dotted lines the unfolded blank of Figure 5.

The articulated constructionof the char acter generally referred to in the jewelry trade as flexible bracelets are formed by uniting a series of sections to one another by means of hinges. These sections generally take the form of box-like structures and in fact are termed boxes in the jewelry art because they have a top and side walls.

Upon viewing Figures 1 and 2 which are intended to represent a portion of the flexible bracelet, it will be observed that the bracelet is made up of a series of similar sections 10-10 each of which, as can be character are generally made of a precious metal such as platinum and the sections as already stated are extremely small so that.

the attainment of a flexible bracelet having the desired strength and characteristics'by the employment of a minimum of metal and labor is desirable.

Upon viewing Figure-3 it will be observed that the sections or boxes, according to the invention herein disclosed by us, have the side walls 12 made separate from the top wall 11 and secured thereto in any desired or preferred manner, such as by soldering and in Figuresfi, 6, 7 we have illustrated the manner of forming these side walls, so as to attain the desired ends.

Blanks such as indicated by the reference character 15 (see Fig. 5) are stamped from sheet metal and as shown in this figure are generally rectangular in shape being provided along one side with the extending ears 16-16 and on the opposite side with the cut-away portion 17-17. The configuration of the members 16-17 are such that both are cut in one operation from a continuous strip each cut producing the cut-away portion 17 in the one blank and the extending ears 16-16 in the other blank. The blank 15 is then doubled up longitudinally along the median line to produce the construction of Figure 6 in which the ears 16-16 and the cut-away portion 17-17 are caused to assume positions in registration. In this manner we produce a structure which as of great strength, and yet requires the shown in Figure 7 is made up of two spaced walls 18-18. By providing the registering ears 16-16 with the openings 19-19 also in registry, these openings can be made to Figure 3) which,

support a pintle 20, (see as will be pointed out hereinafter, forms part of the hinge construction between two adjacent sections or boxes.

lVe provide the opposite end of each side wall with asimilar hinge by securing apiece of metal 22, such as platinum between the spaced walls 1818 in any preferred manner such as by soldering. As will be seen upon viewing Figure 4, this member 22 projects beyond the extreme ends of the bent blank of Figure '6 and is also provided with an opening 23' preferably made to coincide or register with the cut-away portion 17'.

The boxes are each formed by joining two side walls made as described above, to a top wall 11 1 77 As will be seen on viewing Figure 3, the side walls are preferably secured tothe top wall by welding thefree ends 30, (see Figure 3), of the legs 18 of the side wall 15 to the underside of the top H, in parallelism with and adjacent one edge of said top wall.

As will be observed on viewing Figure 2, the pintles QOihave their ends 20 upset or headed. Any tendency toward spreading is thus prevented not by the manner of use of these pintles, but also by the manner in which each side wall is secured to the top;

The use of the spacing member 22 between the walls 18 of each sidewall 15 will minimize any tendency either toward collapsing or beading of a side wall.

It will thus. be seen that; a box or section constructed as described, possesses elements use ot aminimum amount of material. The double wall construction particularly when connected by the pintle with the upset ends and with the free ends of the legs of the members soldered to the top, presents a strongly reenforced construction whose hollow construction is invisible when the bracelet is complete.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A link for a flexible structure of the character described, comprising a top wall, and doubled up members to form side walls, said doubled up members being secured to the top wall at the free ends thereof.

2. A bracelet box for a flexible bracelet comprising a top, depending hollow walls secured thereto, a hinge member secured within each of said hollow walls at one end thereof, and a: hinge member providing shoulders on said walls at the other end thereof, the end of said walls adjacent said hinge members being recessed to suitably accommodate; the hinge of the next adjacent bracelet box when said boxes are in assembled relationship.

An articulated structure comprising a series of uni each of which comprises a top and depending marginal hollow walls, each wall at one end being provided with a shoulder so as to provide a hinge portion, the opposite end of each of said walls being recessed to accommodate the shoulder portion of the next adjacent unit, a hinge member secured within the hollow wall at the recessed portion of each unit and extending so as to be in juxtaposition to the shouldered portion of the next adjacent unit, and pintles extending through the secured portions and the shouldered portions.

In testimony whereof we signed our names.

HYMAN SEIDMAN. HENRY COHAN.

have hereunto 

